--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Disciplines are small and by themselves…" description: "\"“Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deservi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/andy-crouch-15704_discipline_disciplines-are-small-and-by-themselves_2991307.jpg" --- # Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential… ![“Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deserving no prize, humbling us in advance of the occasions when our work will be recognized and applauded. Disciplines are difficult, revealing all too…” quote by Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/andy-crouch-15704_discipline_disciplines-are-small-and-by-themselves_2991307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/andy-crouch-15704_discipline_disciplines-are-small-and-by-themselves_2991307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/andy-crouch-15704_discipline_disciplines-are-small-and-by-themselves_2991307.jpg) > ““Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deserving no prize, humbling us in advance of the occasions when our work will be recognized and applauded. Disciplines are difficult, revealing all too clearly our laziness and foolishness, preparing us for the times when fruit seems to burst from our smallest efforts.”” [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, unnoticed disciplines reveal laziness, yet they prepare us for moments when modest effort yields great results. **In simple terms:** Everytle habits expose flaws but build readiness for big achievements. Key Takeaway Cultivate small habits to prepare for big breakthroughs. Themes discipline humility preparation growth effort Mood reflective encouraging Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily practice - skill training - creative routines - academic study - spiritual rituals Key Concepts habit formation self‑awareness psychology Questions to Reflect On - Which tiny habit has most impacted you? - How do you balance small work with big goals? A Different Perspective Focusing only on small tasks may overlook larger strategic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applauded Disciplines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applauded-disciplines-4702053/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Disciplines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciplines/) [Disciplines Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciplines-difficult-4702052/) [Disciplines Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciplines-small-4702051/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Smallest Efforts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest-efforts-4601802/) ## Related quotes > [“Great books inspire great minds. Great minds master many disciplines. The most difficult discipline to master is self discipline.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/great-books-inspire-great-minds-great-minds-master-many-disciplines/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [I am not astonished that men who lean, as it were, on an atom, should stumble at the smallest efforts they make for discovering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-am-not-astonished-that-men-who-lean-as-it-were-on-an-atom-should/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [“Sometimes even the smallest of efforts can change someone’s fate entirely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-rowland/sometimes-even-the-smallest-of-efforts-can-change-someone-s-fate/) [Mitch Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-rowland/) > [All disciplines affect each other. Mistakenly the man says, 'This is the only area where I let down.' Not true. Every let down affects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/all-disciplines-affect-each-other-mistakenly-the-man-says-this-is-the/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [We need to eliminate the existing hierarchy of subjects. Elevating some disciplines over others only reinforces outmoded assumptions of industrialism and offends the principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/we-need-to-eliminate-the-existing-hierarchy-of-subjects-elevating/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [“You think it's all rather too "New Age" to be taken seriously, eh?' 'Not at all.' 'But it's an ancient discipline...' 'New Age disciplines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-barker/you-think-it-s-all-rather-too-new-age-to-be-taken-seriously-eh-not-at/) [Nicola Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-barker/) > [A defining reality for me is what Scripture teaches in Hebrews 12, that God is our father, and that a sign that he loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/a-defining-reality-for-me-is-what-scripture-teaches-in-hebrews-12/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [ As for the discipline, we \[me and Frank Moore Cross\] belong to two different disciplines. One involves research and archaeological materials. Mine is more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/as-for-the-discipline-we-me-and-frank-moore-cross-belong-to-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“These are the Disciplines that can change everything!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mullins-and-john-kuhn/these-are-the-disciplines-that-can-change-everything/) [Mark Mullins and John Kuhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mullins-and-john-kuhn/) > [Tennis players are very fortunate that unlike some disciplines of sport, in mega-sporting events like the Grand Slams, they have a huge platform to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sania-mirza/tennis-players-are-very-fortunate-that-unlike-some-disciplines-of/) [Sania Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sania-mirza/) > [“You don’t need less interests. You need a through-line.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/you-don-t-need-less-interests-you-need-a-through-line/) [RICHIE NORTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Your philosophy determines whether you will go for the disciplines or continue the errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/your-philosophy-determines-whether-you-will-go-for-the-disciplines-or/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [I believe there are so many other disciplines and themes that we still haven't explored yet. It's infinite what we can apply our creativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-laliberte/i-believe-there-are-so-many-other-disciplines-and-themes-that-we/) [Guy Laliberte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-laliberte/) > [ \[The question for the behavioral disciplines is simply\] what is better, and how do we get there? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/the-question-for-the-behavioral-disciplines-is-simply-what-is-better/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Yes, it will go through the disciplines that all puppies go through including house training and puppy walking, then at twelve month old it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/yes-it-will-go-through-the-disciplines-that-all-puppies-go-through/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) ## More by Andy Crouch > [“There is perhaps no single thing that could better help us recover Jesus’ lordship in our frantic, power-hungry world than to allow him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/there-is-perhaps-no-single-thing-that-could-better-help-us-recover/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“I am also practicing cello to wean myself from power and accomplishment, to place myself back in the posture of a learner, cultivator, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/i-am-also-practicing-cello-to-wean-myself-from-power-and/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“True greatness and true power is faithful all the way down, including humbly quick to admit limitedness, sin and brokenness, and to ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/true-greatness-and-true-power-is-faithful-all-the-way-down-including/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Stewardship means to consciously take up our cultural power, investing it intentionally among the seemingly powerless, putting our power at their disposal to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/stewardship-means-to-consciously-take-up-our-cultural-power-investing/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“The right question is whether, when we undertake the work we believe to be our vocation, we experience the joy and humility that come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/the-right-question-is-whether-when-we-undertake-the-work-we-believe/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“How many times have I been put at the front of the line without even knowing there was a line? How many times have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/how-many-times-have-i-been-put-at-the-front-of-the-line-without-even/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Grace is not an exemption from failure. It is, however, what makes it possible to sustain hope in the midst of failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/grace-is-not-an-exemption-from-failure-it-is-however-what-makes-it/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“What was missing, I've come to believe, were the two postures that are most characteristically biblical -- the two postures that have been least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/what-was-missing-i-ve-come-to-believe-were-the-two-postures-that-are/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“If there is a constructive way forward for Christians in the midst of our broken but also beautiful cultures, it will require us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/if-there-is-a-constructive-way-forward-for-christians-in-the-midst-of/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“Grace is not a shortcut around our effort; it is the divine blessing on efforts that are undertaken in dependence and trust on God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/grace-is-not-a-shortcut-around-our-effort-it-is-the-divine-blessing/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“A sabbathless life ends up with neither true work nor true rest, but with frantic and ineffective activity punctuated by couch-potato lethargy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/a-sabbathless-life-ends-up-with-neither-true-work-nor-true-rest-but/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“So the best defense against porn, for every member of our family, is a full life--the kind of life that technology cannot provide on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/so-the-best-defense-against-porn-for-every-member-of-our-family-is-a/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“if the work of creating consistently leaves us depressed or drained, it is likely that we have somehow missed the path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/if-the-work-of-creating-consistently-leaves-us-depressed-or-drained/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“I rarely feel such clear signs of fatigue and anxiety on days that are filled with travel, meetings and assignments—only when I stop to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/i-rarely-feel-such-clear-signs-of-fatigue-and-anxiety-on-days-that/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“The home is the place where worship of the true God starts: the place where we remember and recite God’s Word, and where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/the-home-is-the-place-where-worship-of-the-true-god-starts-the-place/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) [Explore all 42 Andy Crouch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) [W.J. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-turner/) > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Disciplines are small and by themselves inconsequential (like the scales that professional musicians play every day), attracting no notice and deserving no prize, humbling us in advance of the occasions when our work will be recognized and applauded. 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